


First Impressions

by LoveConquersAll09



Series: First Impressions [1]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27000778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveConquersAll09/pseuds/LoveConquersAll09
Summary: A series of one-shots with all the different ways Elsa and Honeymaren could meet!
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Series: First Impressions [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970623
Comments: 32
Kudos: 51





	1. Anything but Coffee...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honeymaren finds it hard to concentrate on her school work when she has a blonde goddess sitting across from her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to anyone and everyone who stumbles upon this! I hope you are safe during these weird times. This is the first in a series of modern AU's about Elsa and Honeymaren first meeting.

Concentrate on your physics. Just keep your head down and stare at the numbers and figures. Ok, so this angle is forty degrees...

I find myself peeking up out of the corner of my eye for what is now the twelfth time. STOP. Look back down. Forty degrees is all that matters right now.

Granted, if I wanted peace and quiet, picking the largest library on campus probably wasn’t the best idea. Half the people in here came to study, and the other half came to socialize. But I normally liked the hustle and bustle, I can’t work if it’s too quiet.

My peculiar problem today was not the frat boy animatedly telling his buddies about his crazy night, or the freeform poetry reading taking place a few meters behind me. No, my distraction was sitting directly across from me.

Either for budget reasons or some pipe dream to get college students to interact, the university scattered these large, long tables around the library. Which meant once more than a dozen people arrived, you had to start sharing. Sharing was fine with me. I grew up with a brother and large extended family, I know ALL about sharing. It’s often fun to get a peek at what other people do in their classes. You can’t help forming an unspoken camaraderie with someone who is struggling to memorize their speech notes as much as you are to memorize your calculus. But this was different.

Because across from me sat a quiet and pensive, yet gorgeous, girl. She was in my physics class. She sat in the next to last row, had long, flowing blonde hair, and wore glasses and a baseball cap most days. Not that I had ever noticed.

Here I was, minding my own business, learning about the inner workings of our world, when, without warning, she plopped down in the seat across from me. She gave me a quick, polite smile, opened her laptop, and got to work. Meanwhile, I have now been staring at the same problem for twenty minutes. 

Forty degrees…

Should I say hello or something? She seemed to recognize me earlier. I could pretend to need help with this problem, but if she’s working on something for another class, I don’t want to interrupt. Normally I am such a good conversationalist. I never get nervous talking to people. But I guess that’s the problem, she’s not a person. She’s some kind of mystical queen, walking among us mortals. I wouldn’t be surprised if she sang and birds flew in to greet her.

Oh wait, forty degrees. Forty degrees. Crud, what’s the problem asking again?

Right as a I ponder this, I see two arms flailing toward me from the left. On instinct I give a hard kick and roll my chair backwards, out of the way. Before one can say “keg stand”, I see frat boy, along with his Starbucks scone and coffee, crash into the table. My jaw drops as I watch my notes, once pristine and color coded, absorb the liquid and shrink up. The blonde goddess lifts up her laptop just in time to save it from the tidal wave of caffeine and creamer.

For a moment there is a long pause where frat boy, now wearing a concoction of coffee, lifts himself off the table and back onto his feet. The silence is finally broken when his friends in the corner start to clap, until gradually the whole library joins in. He breaks into a grin, and takes a few bows while still dripping. This seems to break the tension, and after a few moments everyone returns to their previous activities.

Finally frat boy notices the mess left on the table. “Oh, man, sorry dude! I didn’t see that backpack and totally tripped over it. Let me grab some napkins and clean this up!” This breaks me from my reverie, and I pop up from my chair. Just as I am about to suggest getting paper towels from the bathroom instead, blonde goddess walks up from behind me with an armful of them.

“I think these may be a bit more effective,” she says in a direct, yet kind tone, shooting me a look. I mouth, “thank you,” and the three of us begin to sop up the extra liquid not absorbed by my notes.

“Uhhh, I think if you put these out and let them dry, you may be able to read them. What is this? Calculus?” Says frat boy, picking up a page of my notes and holding it up for a better look. As he lifts the page, it tears in half, falling on the table with a pathetic plop.

“Or maybe not. What class is it? Maybe I can lend you my notes.”

I manage to bite my tongue before my opening, expletive-riddled response comes out.

As I am about to give a lame excuse about recreating the notes myself, blonde goddess goes, “We’re in the same Physics class, you can use mine,” without looking up from the table. 

“Oh cool, cool,” says frat boy, “so sorry dude, I never shoulda tried to double fist it.”

It takes everything in my power not to smirk. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the blonde goddess turn her head so that her hair falls in front of her face to hide her quiet giggling.

“Ah, yes. That’s ok, it was an accident,” I say in a straight tone, finally cracking a smile. He may be a doofus, but he did seem genuinely sorry. We finish wiping down the last of the coffee, throw away the paper towels, and frat boy gives one final wave before heading back to his friends.

As we settle into our chairs, I start, “thank you for helping and for offering your notes. If I could take pictures I will just…”

As I am saying this blonde goddess pulls a notebook out of her backpack, hands it to me and goes, “nah, you can keep them overnight. They’ll be impossible to read on a picture and today’s not my day to study physics anyway. They’re dated, so the notes from this week should be pretty easy to find. We can exchange numbers and meet up tomorrow.”

As she says this, a light bulb goes off in my head. “Umm, sure, thank you! And, if you’re free I would love to buy you lunch, as a thank you.”

For the first time since arriving, she breaks into a full smile and says, “yes, I will definitely take you up on that. With one exception.”

“What’s that?” I say, my stomach dropping.

She smirks and says, “nothing with coffee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking time to share your day with me!


	2. Wingardium Leviosa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa has been trying to get up the nerve to talk to the beautiful brunette in her physics class, but things heat up a little more than expected... Part of a series of one-shots with all the different ways Elsa and Honeymaren could meet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my fellow Elsamaren shippers! Here is the second installment from the "First Impressions" series. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. Seriously, it means so much to me that people are enjoying these dorks as much as I do!
> 
> I do not own Frozen or Harry Potter. (obviously...)

Alright. Today is the day. This is it! I can do this, I can do this, I can do this...

She walks by me, her brunette hair swaying with her movements, straight to the back of the auditorium. The only trace left of her is the lingering scent of her shampoo.

My shoulders slump a bit as I settle in for a long lecture. Both from my professor, and from myself. 

She ALWAYS sits in the front of the class! Why today, of all days, when I finally commit to sitting up front in the hopes of ending up next to her, did she pick the back??? And now I’m stuck here, pretending like I’m actually listening because the professor is close enough to make eye contact. Oh no, he made a terrible dad joke and nobody laughed. Ok, give a chuckle and nod. Oh sweet, he saw that and moved on. That should buy me a couple of minutes to continue my mental berating. 

Why didn’t you say anything!? She was wearing a Harry Potter shirt! She made it so easy!

Ugh, I was caught off guard. Each day I have strategically planned this. She always sits in the third row on the left. Either in the third or fourth chair over. After confirming this over several class periods, I decided I would sit in the fourth chair over, leaving the third chair over open, and her only option for seating. Who knew she could actually sit anywhere she wanted? 

And right now, I could see in the reflection of my laptop screen, that she was sitting in my usual row, right beside my usual chair. Oh fate, you cruel mistress!

“Elsa, would you please come up and help me demonstrate?”

I feel my body freeze. Elsa? Oh shit, that’s my name. And the professor is staring straight at me. I momentarily consider pretending I didn’t hear, but I think that only works on crowded Subway cars, not vacuum-silent lecture halls.

Begrudgingly, I close my laptop and get up. When I see how excited the professor is for this demonstration, I feel a little guilty. It’s not his fault I’m a coward, he’s just trying his best to teach hormonal young adults who have only just learned what freedom is to appreciate physics. This man deserves a raise.

“Alright, Elsa, would you please stand right here. I have a bouncy ball in my hand...”

I look away from the professor to sneak at a glance toward the top of the auditorium. She’s looking at me! Well, of course she’s looking at me. Everyone is looking at me. I hope my hair is ok. Is it weird to fix it right now? Like I’m trying too hard? Maybe if I just casually lift my arm and stroke it through my hair, like they do in movies...

“And that’s how it works! Does that make sense, Elsa?”

Uh oh. I feel a pit in my stomach. The professor is holding... a blow torch now?? What happened to the bouncy ball? I feel much more confident in my hand-eye coordination than my flammability.

He motions toward the table, which has a long, cylindrical shape on it. How had I not noticed that before? I walk toward my doom, hoping against hope that someone pulls the fire alarm within the next five seconds.

“So I will set the lighter fluid on fire and move the cage over it! Elsa, please give the rotating plate this is sitting on a nice, hard spin once I am done!”

The professor said this with such flair, it woke up a few dozing students. This gave me images of Professor Bruni as a stage magician, his obvious long lost dream. I could see him in a top hat, dressed to the nines. Poor guy probably Googled “cool physics demonstrations” in his spare time, hoping to find something we might react to. I give a little nod and he giddily lights up the little dish in the middle, placing the cage over it, and stepping back.

Well, one nice, hard spin coming up! I grab the side of the plate and jerk my arm. The fire, which had previously been a few inches tall, becomes a fire tornado, shooting up several feet above my head. A collective gasp echoes across the room.

Instinctively, I leap back until I am up against the chalkboard. As the fire dances, I get glimpses at faces. Most display shock and fear, but then I locate the one I am searching for in the back of the auditorium. She looks, amused?

Professor Bruni suddenly leaps into view, grabbing the plate and stopping the movement. The flames suddenly die down. Despite the experiment only lasting a few seconds, he looks like an older man. Tired, like he has lived more of life.

“Ah, yes. So you see, the, uh, greater the velocity, the, uh, greater the flame. Elsa, you can sit now. Um, thank you.”

Well, I think as I walk to my seat, at least he’s never going to call on me again. I slip into my seat as the auditorium seems to take a collective breath and settle back into mundane disinterest. I open my laptop to pretend I’m taking notes when I’m actually looking at IKEA furniture, and receive an AirDrop notification.

Someone is trying to send me the GIF of Seamus Finnigan setting his eyebrows on fire. Oh, very funny. It says it came from... Hermione Granger? 

I don’t want to be too obvious so I pretend to stretch. Everyone is staring mindlessly at their laptops when suddenly, I find my target. She seems to be waiting for this, because she is containing a little giggle as she purposely stares straight ahead.

A grin spreads across my face. I accept the picture and send one back of Hermione slow clapping with a stern expression. Eventually we move away from Hermione GIFs to include the whole Harry Potter cast, somehow pivot to Pride and Prejudice GIF’s, and just start sending “The Office” ones when I notice movement around me. Class ended and everyone is packing up. This is my chance! I practically throw my laptop in my bag and turn around to walk against traffic toward the back of the hall. But it’s already empty. For the second time, I feel my shoulders slump. I look around the emptying room, but can’t find her.

Sulkily, I make my way toward the exit, into the sunlight and greenery outside. I can’t believe it, how did I miss her? How long did it take me to notice everyone packing? Maybe if I get there a little later the next day, she will already be inside and I can go sit next to her without guessing.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching me from behind, and a familiar face appears.

“So,” she says, “do you think we will be learning Wingardium Leviosa next?“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhh, Elsa is just as much of a mess as Honeymaren. So, is there a college meet cute you would like to see in the future? Let me know in the comments!


	3. Football Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of fall, here's a football related chapter! I definitely see these two as being extremely competitive...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took an extra week to upload! This one is a bit longer to make up for it :) 
> 
> I intend on updating once a week, but things got crazy busy at work. And thank you for the comments on the last two chapters! They mean the world to me, and I will be working on the suggestions for future installments... :)

I step through the entryway into a sea of purple and green, and am greeted by a roaring crescendo of cheers that dissolve into dejected sighs.

“Incomplete pass to Gale. Second down and ten.”

I easily weave my way around the crowded stairway while carrying the concessions, spot my sister a few rows down, and make my way toward her.

After doing a few pirouettes to avoid spilling drinks on unsuspecting fans, I finally squeeze in next to her, and start handing out the rations. On my sister’s other side is her boyfriend, Kristoff, who animatedly takes the popcorn and large soda from my hands.

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver! We were burning up out here. You didn’t miss much. They got a holding call, had to punt, then Mattias threw incomplete,” he says, finishing his summary by unceremoniously shoving a fistful of popcorn in his mouth.

“Thanks for the recap,” I say, “looks like they’re afraid of Mattias’ arm, they have that safety really deep.”

“Yup,” he responds with a mouth full of popcorn, “we need to throw some slant routes, make them pay for that. Then we can take a deep shot.”

As if on cue, Mattias completes to a receiver on a slant route.

“That’s a 15 yards gain for a first down!” booms through the stadium as the crowd roars and high fives.

On instinct I jump up and pump my fist in the air. I high-five my sister and turn back to the game. The offense has picked up the tempo, with two quick completions and an option play placing us on the 23-yard line. They line up, Mattias steps back and surveys the field, then lets it go, aiming for the far left corner.

For a brief moment, time seems to slow down as the stadium collectively holds its breath, then a thunderous roar breaks out as the receiver pulls it in with both feet landing in the endzone. Our whole section is now up, jumping, clapping, shouting, and high-fiving each other. This is what I really love about college football- the camaraderie. I will most likely never see these people again, but for a few hours we are here with a common interest and hope. Social norms fall away as we high-five random strangers. 

After getting through the row in front of me, I turn to my left to high-five the guy beside me. Only, it isn’t the burly, tall guy I noticed when scooting in. No, now I come face to face, only about a foot apart, with an animated brunette woman. Her eyes twinkle as she notices me and she turns to high-five my palms, still frozen in midair.

“What a catch! Yes yes yes!” she says to me.

“Incredible!” I respond, finally lowering my arms. “We absolutely tore up their defense. Mattias is doing a great job on those reads.”

“Yes, and he really worked on his footwork this offseason.”

We share a smile before I feel a strong hand on my shoulder spin me back around. Kristoff is leaning over, practically squishing Anna, though he does not seem to notice.

“I TOLD you! I told you Gale was going to have a big year! Just had to warm up a little bit!”

Anna shoves him back to his side of the bench, having to use both arms to even be noticed. Kristoff moves back while excitedly prattling on.

I listen and nod earnestly, but my head is having a hard time concentrating on his words. I’m standing so close, if I lean back even just a few inches, I could put my head on her shoulder. I can hear her voice, no doubt talking to the burly guy on her other side, but I can’t quite make out the words. Maybe if I just shift over, just a little bit…

“Hello? Hello???”

Anna is waving her hands in front of my face with a quizzical expression. 

“Oh,” I say, “sorry, zoned out for a second. What?”

She gives me a strange look but decides to drop it.

“They showed the score for State’s game, they’re down by 14 already!”

This finally does bring me out of my internal speculation and a grin spreads across my face. “Fantastic,” I respond with a special glee that only seeing a rival suffer will bring.

“Let’s hear a loud purple and green cheer for your Arendelle defense!” booms through the stadium. A sea of foam fingers suddenly rise as the combined effort of clapping, boos, and stomping bring the volume up to a new decibel level.

Stomping my feet and clapping in a way that in any other context would make me look maniacal, I can feel the electricity from the atmosphere run through my fingertips.

I peek to my left and my heart gives a little jolt to see the brunette similarly occupied.

A whistle is barely heard above the crowd as the referee on the far left sideline waves the play dead. Before the announcer even has a chance to take a breath, the crowd already knows, and reacts, to what we accomplished.

“Anddddd that’s a delay of game, courtesy of the purple and green crowd!”

I feel an arm wrap around my shoulder, giving me a quick but tight side hug while jostling me around. Before I even have a chance to react, the brunette lets go. I open my mouth to say something, but am cut off.

“First down and fifteen to go. Let’s hear that crowddddd!”

The brunette gives me a sheepish smile and we return to our maniacal shouting.

Despite the promising start, things even out throughout the game and we go into halftime with only a touchdown lead. I can’t help being a little disappointed. Most people like for a game to at least be competitive, but my favorite ones are the lopsided wins. No anxiety, and I always stay until the end to enjoy every moment. I REALLY like winning. Besides, it’s tougher to start conversation during competitive games…

For what feels like the thousandth time, I sneak a peek to my left. The brunette has her back turned, deep in conversation with the burly guy. My shoulders slump a bit as I see her stand up and head out of the row, but the burly guy doesn’t move, so I hope that means she’s coming back. 

“If you don’t get her number, I will never let you live it down.”

I turn and Anna has a knowing smirk on her face. I blink for a moment at her.

“That obvious?” I say.

“Oh no, to anyone else, you seem perfectly polite. But I am a lifelong scholar in your many moods and mannerisms. Which is why I will smack you if you don’t make a move soon.”

I shush her, looking at the burly guy to make sure he has not been listening.

“Oh relax,” she says in a quieter tone, “I was good. It took everything in my power to wait until she got up to say anything. And he’s busy watching the bands.”

Kristoff seems to finally clue in to our conversation, catching the last part.

“Ooooh,” he says, turning to Anna, “that’s why you kept smacking me anytime I wanted to say something!”

Anna just stares at him and sighs for a moment, but a grin spreads across her face, full of love. “Yes dear.” She looks at me, then over my shoulder, and a twinkle appears in her eye. “And here is your chance. Talk to her or I will pretend to faint to force you two to talk. Don’t test me.”

I narrow my eyes at her, but also know she is dead serious.

Beside me I hear the brunette settle down on the bench and see the burly man get up. I take a breath and give Anna one more look, which is met with an excited smiled and thumbs up, before turning to my left.

“So, what’s your—”

“Any predictions—“

Taken by surprise, we both start to giggle. 

“You first,” I say, still giggling.

“If you insist,” she responds, “I was just going to ask for your predictions for the second half. Any adjustments we need to make?”

“Oh, yes! Our O-line is struggling in the run game and they haven’t found an answer for Mattias’ arm, so I predict we will open up the playbook for him in the second half. What about you?” I finish.

“I agree, and I will follow it up with a lofty claim” she says, then takes a long moment to make a show of pondering her next answer, “that I believe we will get at least three turnovers in the second half. That quarterback is an interception waiting to happen.”

“Three? That is a lofty claim!” I exclaim. “So lofty, it should be in Manhattan, charging two thousand dollars a month.”

For a moment, she just looks at me blankly. Oh no, oh no. I can’t believe I just said that. Loft puns are way better suited for a third or fourth meeting. What was I thinking? Way too soon! But then her face breaks into a big grin, her hand coming up to her mouth to stifle her laughs. I smile sheepishly.

She collects herself for a moment. “And that is still cheaper than the new dorms they built, with the rooftop pool!”

I feel my shoulders relax, “Yes! That place is ridiculous! And you know what? I look back and appreciate my time in Lakeview. There are so many experiences these freshmen will never understand. Trying to decorate the post-modern, white concrete rooms…” I trail off.

“The ironic naming due to the complete absence of lake views since the retention pond dried up fifteen years ago…” she continues.

“The kitchen stove with one working burner…” I add on.

“Truly transformative experiences that money could never buy. But alas, they find a little bit of asbestos and we lose another national treasure,” she says in a completely deadpan delivery.

This finally makes me lose it, and as I giggle, she continues, “So, what were you going to say?”

“Oh yes, I was going to go with the cliched but ever popular, ‘what’s your major?’” I say. 

“Ah, then I will answer with a classic: engineering. What about you?” she answers.

“Biochem. You know, if you’d like to, my friends and I are…” I start to ask, but right at that moment the burly man beside her returns with drinks and food, handing her half of it. I smile at him, unsure whether I should keep talking.

She thanks him, then turns back to me. “This is my brother Ryder,” she says, “he just started here this fall so I’m introducing him to all the pageantry and tradition,” she says with a wave of her arm.

Ryder excitedly jumps in, “nice to meet ya! I’m usually more of hockey guy, but this is incredible!”

His excitement is tangible and I smile too. “Nice to meet you too! You picked a good one, full stadium and plenty of excitement.”

Ryder nods and his sister adds, “see? I told you it was a good first game. Although, I would rather get such a big lead early on that we put in our backups at the half.”

“ME TOO!” I answer animatedly.

The stadium seems to match my excitement as they roar for the start of the second half. I hadn’t even noticed the teams come back out, and before I can fully grasp what’s happening, we are all hopping up for the second half kickoff.

The opposing offense jogs onto the field to a chorus of boos, and their quarterback, Runeard, pumps his arms, further antagonizing the crowd. I look over at the brunette and she gives me a smirk, holding up the number three with her fingers. I go back to yelling with a smile on my face.

Runeard drops back to pass, scrambles, heaves the ball in the air as he is being hit and…

“INTERCEPTION! By Bruni!”

The crowd goes nuts, the stadium itself seems to be shaking in celebration. On instinct, I grab the brunette’s hand as we all jump up and down in the narrow aisle. Barely above the noise of the crowd I can hear her shouting, “yes, yes, yes, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!” I give her a winning smile, my cheeks slightly pink from the commotion and my automatic motion, and nod, knowing any auditory response would be lost, before turning to Anna and Kristoff to celebrate.

Runeard dejectedly sits up and watches the play happen, before one of his teammates finally offers him a hand and he slumps back to the bench. Fortunately for the purple and green, he never recovered. He followed the first interception with a pick six, a fumble, and one final interception before being pulled from the game during the last few minutes of the fourth quarter.

As the last few seconds tick off the clock, Anna leans over to me, “you’re losing daylight here…”

“I know, I know.” I glance over at her, excitedly saying something to Ryder and a group of his friends who found them in the stands. When she talks she doesn’t seem able to contain herself, always using her whole self to convey the message. I smile before realizing how odd I must look, staring at her and just smiling. Anna shoves me hard, so I lean to my left and end up bumping shoulders with the brunette.

She turns to face me, radiating with joy from the win. My heart skips a beat for a moment and I start again, “After this we were planning on…”

“Hey!” Ryder interrupts, excitedly grabbing her by the shoulder. “We’re going to Oaken’s to grab dinner, come on, Nokk said he can add us to the reservation!”

The brunette is caught off guard for a moment, but Ryder, caught up in his excitement, starts to pull her away before she responds. She throws me an apologetic smile over her shoulder and says, “it was really nice meeting you!”

My heart sinks even as I force a smile and small wave. I feel a supportive hand on my shoulder, “Sorry, for what it’s worth, it really did seem like she liked you.”

I shrug and unconvincingly say, “I’m ok, but do you know what would really help? Some pizza. How about Hallan’s?”

Anna analyzes my face for a moment. “Are you sure you don’t want to give Oaken’s a try?”

“I, uh, thought about it. But that place is always packed and we don’t have a reservation. Besides, pizza is the dinner of champions!”

From behind I hear, “I couldn’t agree more!” I see Anna grin before I even turn around.

“Mind if I tag along?” says the brunette with a little less confidence than before. My smile confirms my answer before I even open my mouth.


	4. Club Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elsa and Honeymaren continue to be adorable disasters, but this time we get to see them from Anna's perspective! All set on the backdrop of a collegiate activity fair. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello fam! I hope you all are safe during this crazy time. I know the last week has been stressful for many of us with the US election. I am ecstatic that Love ultimately won out, and want to remind you all that I love and appreciate you, and to take some time to take care of yourselves. You deserve it!

“Ten bucks she comes back with the scissors again,” Kristoff says smiling and attempting to hand a flyer to a passerby who is clearly ignoring him.

“Nah, it’s gonna be the tape again.”

I smile at some strangers passing by, successfully handing them a small flyer with “tryouts” in large font scrawled across the front.

“You’re on.”

We shake on it, then carefully watch my sister walk back, hands behind her back, face flushed. Right as she reaches the table she moves her arm and...

“Aha!” I proclaim and turning to Kristoff add, “you owe me ten bucks!” I stand on my tiptoes to attempt to scold him and stick my tongue out, full well knowing the attempt at intimidation looks downright silly. But then Elsa moves her other arm to reveal a pair of scissors.

“That’s fine,” he says, crossing his arms. “I was going to buy you dinner tonight anyway,” he finishes with a wink.

A disgruntled sigh pulls me out of the moment, and I turn to see Elsa with both her palms down on the table, head hung low, still holding the scissors and staring at the tape dispenser as if they are the bane of her existence.

“Alright sis, what went wrong this time?”

“I seem to be backtracking. Not a single word in the English language came to mind. All I could manage was to point at these items.” she responds without looking up.

Oof, that was rough, even for Elsa. I look at Kristoff and we exchange a knowing look. She is going to need some help on this one.

“Alright,” I say, “we can work with this.” I pull a small piece of tape from the dispenser and hand it to her to fix our sign reading, “Don’t quaffle this opportunity to join the Quidditch Team!” hanging askew. “So you’ve gone for tape twice and scissors once, counting the trips back and forth, we’re up to interaction number, what, five? That’s not too bad! Some things take time.”

“Yes!” Pipes up Kristoff, seemingly relieved to find an opening in the conversation. “Your sister and I didn’t hit it off at first! It took a few interactions for her to fall helplessly in love with me.”

“Excuse you,” I retort with a snort, “I seem to recall you falling for me first.”

A thunk brings my attention back to my sister, who is now sitting with her head on the table, the perfect picture of despair.

I hear a muffled, “Thanks guys, but it’s helpless. Pretty soon all I’ll be able to do is blink at her in Morse code.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you have such pretty eyes.”

My attempt at humor is met with a sidelong glare, but I can’t contain my smirk.

“Really?” She says incredulously, “you laugh at my misery?”

I slide into the seat next to her and motion to Kristoff to keep handing out flyers. While he loves to be helpful, he looks relieved to be released from this duty. This is sister stuff anyway.

“Do you know what your problem is?” I ask.

She is now staring across the crowded quad, with a look equal parts dreamy and miserable. Every few moments, a glimpse of the brunette can be caught between groups of students.

“What?”

“You are WAY too dramatic.”

Her head snaps around. “Hey!” She protests.

“Look, I love you, I really do. But you are the biggest drama queen when it comes to romance. You go through every scenario in your head before you open your mouth, and effectively completely freak yourself out.”

I can tell she wants to deny it, but knows better. I decide to take my opening, “she’s a person. You’re a person. She probably likes coffee, and I know you like coffee. Just ask her! I promise the world won’t end, no matter her answer. And, worst case scenario, I will make Kristoff use the money from our bet to buy you dinner.”

This seems to snap her out of her sullen mood. “You made a bet???”

“Yes, and if you don’t ask her out soon, I’m gonna make it double or nothing.”

Her eyes narrow, but she finally sighs, looks across the quad, and stands up. At this moment, I see a flash of green and suddenly an eager freshman is standing in front of our table, excitedly going on about wanting to join our the team. I could murder him.

Soon we’re swamped with students, mostly young freshmen, asking about everything from the practice schedule, to where the school infirmary is located. I can see my sister sneak glances across the quad, making sure the pretty brunette has not left her table yet. Elsa’s sense of duty will not let her leave this table to me and Kristoff with this many people.

After a particularly involved conversation, which somehow included me talking to a girl’s mom on the phone and assuring her that Quidditch was not as dangerous as tackle football, I look up to see the brunette packing up her table. My heart sinks a little when I look at my sister’s face and see she has already noticed. She is politely listening to a student describe their severe peanut allergy, but I can read the panic all over her face. Time to enter Super Sister Mode.

“Hi, hello there! I am so sorry to hear about your allergy, but if you would like to know...”

Elsa immediately picks up on my cue, gives me a small nod to say thank you, and slips out from behind the table, grabbing the tape and scissors on the way. She disappears into the crowd and I hope for the best while half listening to Mr. Peanut.

“Excuse me,” I hear from the right and freeze when I locate the owner of the disembodied voice.

“Umm, I was just wondering if you the blonde girl was still here? She has me—I mean my tape! And scissors. She borrowed my tape and scissors and I was hoping to catch her before she left...”

“Oh dear,” I think. “They’re both helpless.”

“Yes,” I say with what is probably a little too much excitement. “She is still here, just, give me one second! Stay right here.” I tag on the last sentence, probably expressing it a little more intensely than I mean to.

I make it halfway across the quad before I can get a full view of the other booth, and notice the decided lack of blonde hair that would have given my sister away. I turn back to my booth and sigh, already wondering what excuse I’m going to give to get this girl’s number.

As I approach the booth, I manage to catch Kristoff’s eye, trying to silently tell him everything that’s happened. I am surprised to see him give me a wink, then motion backwards with his head to the table.

There is the brunette, right where I left her... BUT ALSO ELSA. I change trajectories, standing beside Kristoff, but close enough to the girls to try to eavesdrop.

With the class change over, the quad is much emptier. I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to face Elsa, beaming with joy. The brunette is putting the tape and scissors back in her bag.

“I take it things went well?” I quietly say with a smirk. 

“Yes,” she responds with a far off look, “we’re getting coffee. Thanks.” she says, looking at both of us lovingly before grabbing her purse and heading out.

Kristoff leans over to me and whispers, “You would be proud of me.”

I give him a quizzical look.

“I’m always proud of you, but why this time?” I ask.

“The brunette’s friend came to get her, but I managed to stall them long enough to let Elsa get back. I even showed them pictures of Sven at the dog park. I am the love expert.” He puffs out his chest, clearly pleased with his role in this charade.

I can’t help but notice how cute he looks, so proud of himself. “Yes dear, you are the love expert.”


End file.
